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Privacy & Security Policy

This statement of principles that govern the collection and protection of information that may be collected during a visit to this site is provided for informational purposes only The information presented here is not meant to be a contract of any type, either express or implied, and should not be treated as such by site visitors. The information in this statement and/or the policies described here may change at any time, without prior notice to any visitor.

This Online Privacy Policy applies to your use of the City of Des Moines websites and interactive services. By using any of our websites and interactive services, you agree that this Online Privacy Policy govern your use of our websites and any dispute concerning them. Please take a few minutes to read them before using our websites.

Application of Iowa Open Records Statute

Chapter 22 and other sections of the Iowa Code control access to personally identifiable information in public records at state and local levels of government in Iowa. Chapter 22 establishes general policies for access to government records in the State of Iowa. Other sections of the Iowa Code, as well as certain federal statutes deal with confidentiality issues.

The City of Des Moines contracts with other parties to provide certain services available on this site. Data that may be collected on that site is owned by the City of Des Moines and is subject to the same polices, protections and constraints as if it were collected on the City's site.

Children Under 13 Years of Age:

City of Des Moines websites and interactive services are not directed to children under the age of 13. Children should always get permission from their parents before sending any personal information about themselves over the internet. If you are under 13 years old, please do not provide any City of Des Moines website with any personally identifying information (such as your name, address or e-mail address).

Collection of Information

No personally identifiable information is collected about visitors who simply browse this site or who download information from it. If you participate in a survey or send an e-mail, your e-mail address and the contents of the e-mail and information volunteered in response to the survey will be collected. Visitors who request services available through this site may be required to furnish additional information which may be required by law or which is necessary to provide the service requested. The additional information collected will be no more specific than if the visitor were requesting the service by any other means, including by telephone or in-person visit to a City facility. In all cases, the City strives to collect the minimum information necessary to comply with applicable law and/or provide the service requested.

Visitors may be requested to furnish information to assist the City in improving the facilities available on this site, or to be used in analysis and improvement of the City's service delivery systems. Such information is collected on an "opt-in" basis, which requires that the visitor provide specific approval for the collection of such data. A visitor who subscribes to a service available on this site may "opt out" of that service at any time.

Any information furnished by a visitor to this site, for any reason, may be filed and maintained by the City for its own use in performing statistical analysis, improving its service delivery system or responding appropriately to a request for service or information. Visitors should be aware that the collection of personal information requested from or volunteered by children on-line or by email will be treated in the same manner as information given by an adult and may be subject to public access.

We may collect specific and non-personal information about each visitor to this site. This information is collected automatically during site operations and includes Internet Protocol (IP) address of the visitor's ISP (Internet Service Provider) or computer, type browser used, the date and time of the visit, the Web pages or services you accessed at this site and the IP addresses of the locations to which the visitor linked during his or her visit to our Web site. This information is strictly used for statistical reporting and site maintenance purposes in order to improve the content of our Web services and to help us understand how people are using our services. It is not connected to personally identifiable information that may be collected as described above.

Access To Personal Information

Any visitor concerned with the accuracy of information about them should contact the City of Des Moines Action Center at (515) 283-4500 or should use the contact form available on this site. You can review any personal information we collect about you. You may recommend changes to your personal information you believe in error by submitting a written request that credibly shows the error. If you believe that your personal information is being used for a purpose other than those described in this policy, you may contact us. In all cases, we will take reasonable steps to verify your identity before granting access or making corrections.

Protection of Information

The City of Des Moines does not sell, rent or otherwise distribute visitor's information, including electronic mail addresses, to any outside company or organization. We do not reveal specific information about subscribers or other personally identifiable data to unaffiliated third parties for their independent use, except if required to do so by the Iowa Open Records Act or other law. This policy applies to information that may be collected on the City's site and on that of any third party with whom the City contracts to provide Internet related-services.

The City of Des Moines maintains security standards and procedures regarding unauthorized access to customer information to prevent unauthorized removal or alteration of data. The City meets accepted standards of security for all transactions that may involve payment of fees through a service available through this site, including the use of encryption and SSL services. Credit card numbers are not stored longer than is required for verification and completion of the subject transaction.

Use of "Cookies"

To better serve our users we may, at some time in the future, use "cookies" to customize your browsing experience. Cookies are simple text files stored on your computer by your web browser. They provide a method of distinguishing among visitors to our site.
Cookies created on your computer by using this site do not contain personally identifying information and do not compromise your privacy or security. We use the cookie feature only to store a randomly generated identifying tag on your computer. Visitors may refuse the cookie or delete the cookie file by using any of the widely available methods.

Disclaimer

This site provides links to other web sites. These may include links to web sites operated by other government agencies (including the Des Moines Airport and Des Moines Public Library), nonprofit organizations and/or private businesses. This Privacy Policy applies only to the City of Des Moines site and to third-party sites that provide Internet related-services for the City of Des Moines under contract. When you link to any other web site, you are subject to the privacy policy of that site. Visitors linking to another site are encouraged to examine the privacy policy of that site.
Neither the City of Des Moines, nor any agency, officer, or employee of the City of Des Moines warrants the accuracy, reliability or timeliness of any information published by this system, nor endorses any content, viewpoints, products, or services linked to from this system, and shall not be held liable for any losses caused by reliance on the accuracy, reliability or timeliness of such information. Portions of such information may be incorrect or not current. Any person or entity that relies on any information obtained from this system does so at his or her own risk.